Marking Time With Beauty

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Today is my nephew's fourth birthday, and it has reminded me not only of the changes associated with growing up, but also of how quickly time passes.


When I look back on the last four years of my life, it's easy  to focus on what I've lost.

Feb 2015

- The long hair that I loved to style has since been cut short due to my fatiguing arm muscles. 
- Though I had just gotten my wheelchair, I only used it for certain tasks whereas today, I use it every time I leave the house. 
- And I used to be able to take a nap anywhere, be it car, couch, or reclining lawn chair, but now I need a machine to support my breathing every time I want to sleep.

But then I look at my nephew and see the beauty I have gained.

Feb 2019

- I get a running hug from him each time I visit, and I am able to hug him in return.
- He gets excited to show me what he's working on, whether it's building a creation with blocks, describing his imaginative world, or lining up and organizing his toys, and I have eyes to see his joys.
- He views my disability as "nothing special", and his sweet childhood innocence has given me a glimpse into pure, Divine love (a true doorway!)

 Who in your life shows you beauty? Maybe it's a parent through his/her unconditional love, or a partner who knows you to your core. It might be a friend who is always available for a conversation or a cry, or a child who finds joy in simple things. Sometimes, if you look closely, you can find beauty reflected in all of these people.

 There are a lot of ways we can mark the passage of time, both negative and positive. With which lens will you choose to view it?

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Some doorways from this week:
  • A courageous family at church shared their stories of attempted suicide to bring awareness to a painful, often overlooked topic.
  • At a basketball game this weekend, a baby girl being held by her dad was clapping happily along with the crowd as the band played the school's fight song causing everyone around her (including me!) to smile with joy.
  • Last Thursday I woke up to a misty, magical fog in the valley whose beauty was straight out of a fairy tale.

 

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